Method and apparatus for sending alerts to internet protocol phones

ABSTRACT

The present invention enables an alert message and the display of calling party identity on all on-hook phones associated with an extension sharing the same phone number, when one phone is off-hook and in use. In one exemplary embodiment, this capability enables all other members of a household to receive information regarding an incoming call even when one phone is in use by another member.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/025,400, filed Dec. 29, 2004, which is currently allowed and isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates generally to communication networks and,more particularly, to a method and apparatus for sending alerts toon-hook residential Internet Protocol (IP) phones in packet switchednetworks, e.g., Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Occasionally, in households with multiple phones on one extensionsharing the same phone number, one phone is in use when a new callarrives. The person using the phone is the only one in the household toreceive the call-waiting indication and view the calling party calleridentity (ID) information. The rest of the phones in the household thatare on-hook will remain inactive and will receive and display noincoming call alerts or caller ID information. Broadly defined, anon-hook phone is a phone that is not being used by a user and anoff-hook phone is a phone that is being used by a user.

Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for sending alertsto on-hook Internet Protocol (IP) phones in packet-switched networks,e.g., VoIP networks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, the present invention enables an alert message andthe display of calling party identity on all on-hook phones associatedwith an extension sharing the same phone number, when one phone isoff-hook and in use. This capability enables all other members of ahousehold to receive information regarding an incoming call even whenone phone is in use by another member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teaching of the present invention can be readily understood byconsidering the following detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)network related to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of sending alerts to on-hook residentialInternet Protocol (IP) phones in a VoIP network of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for sending alerts to on-hookresidential Internet Protocol (IP) phones in a VoIP network of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for receiving alerts by anon-hook residential Internet Protocol (IP) phones of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a high level block diagram of a general purposecomputer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To better understand the present invention, FIG. 1 illustrates anexample network, e.g., a packet-switched network such as a VoIP networkrelated to the present invention. The VoIP network may comprise varioustypes of customer endpoint devices connected via various types of accessnetworks to a carrier (a service provider) VoIP core infrastructure overan Internet Protocol/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) based corebackbone network. Broadly defined, a VoIP network is a network that iscapable of carrying voice signals as packetized data over an IP network.An IP network is broadly defined as a network that uses InternetProtocol to, exchange data packets.

The customer endpoint devices can be either Time Division Multiplexing(TDM) based or IP based. TDM based customer endpoint devices 122, 123,134, and 135 typically comprise of TDM phones or Private Branch Exchange(PBX). IP based customer endpoint devices 144 and 145 typically compriseIP phones or PBX. The Terminal Adaptors (TA) 132 and 133 are used toprovide necessary interworking functions between TDM customer endpointdevices, such as analog phones, and packet based access networktechnologies, such as Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) or Cable broadbandaccess networks. TDM based customer endpoint devices access VoIPservices by using either a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 120,121 or a broadband access network via a TA 132 or 133. IP based customerendpoint devices access VoIP services by using a Local Area Network(LAN) 140 and 141 with a VoIP gateway or router 142 and 143,respectively.

The access networks can be either TDM or packet based. A TDM PSTN 120 or121 is used to support TDM customer endpoint devices connected viatraditional phone lines. A packet based access network, such as FrameRelay, ATM, Ethernet or IP, is used to support IP based customerendpoint devices via a customer LAN, e.g., 140 with a VoIP gateway androuter 142. A packet based access network 130 or 131, such as DSL orCable, when used together with a TA 132 or 133, is used to support TDMbased customer endpoint devices.

The core VoIP infrastructure comprises of several key VoIP components,such the Border Element (BE) 112 and 113, the Call Control Element (CCE)111, and VoIP related servers 114. The BE resides at the edge of theVoIP core infrastructure and interfaces with customers endpoints overvarious types of access networks. A BE is typically implemented as aMedia Gateway and performs signaling, media control, security, and calladmission control and related functions. The CCE resides within the VoIPinfrastructure and is connected to the BEs using the Session InitiationProtocol (SIP) over the underlying IP/MPLS based core backbone network110. The CCE is typically implemented as a Media Gateway Controller andperforms network wide call control related functions as well asinteracts with the appropriate VoIP service related servers whennecessary. The CCE functions as a SIP back-to-back user agent and is asignaling endpoint for all call legs between all BEs and the CCE. TheCCE may need to interact with various VoIP related servers in order tocomplete a call that require certain service specific features, e.g.translation of an E.164 voice network address into an IP address.

For calls that originate or terminate in a different carrier, they canbe handled through the PSTN 120 and 121 or the Partner IP Carrier 160interconnections. For originating or terminating TDM calls, they can behandled via existing PSTN interconnections to the other carrier. Fororiginating or terminating VoIP calls, they can be handled via thePartner IP carrier interface 160 to the other carrier.

In order to illustrate how the different components operate to support aVoIP call, the following call scenario is used to illustrate how a VoIPcall is setup between two customer endpoints. A customer using IP device144 at location A places a call to another customer at location Z usingTDM device 135. During the call setup, a setup signaling message is sentfrom IP device 144, through the LAN 140, the VoIP Gateway/Router 142,and the associated packet based access network, to BE 112. BE 112 willthen send a setup signaling message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIPis used, to CCE 111. CCE 111 looks at the called party information andqueries the necessary VoIP service related server 114 to obtain theinformation to complete this call. If BE 113 needs to be involved incompleting the call; CCE 111 sends another call setup message, such as aSIP-INVITE message if SIP is used, to BE 113. Upon receiving the callsetup message, BE 113 forwards the call setup message, via broadbandnetwork 131, to TA 133. TA 133 then identifies the appropriate TDMdevice 135 and rings that device. Once the call is accepted at locationZ by the called party, a call acknowledgement signaling message, such asa SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, is sent in the reverse direction backto the CCE 111. After the CCE 111 receives the call acknowledgementmessage, it will then send a call acknowledgement signaling message,such as a SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, toward the calling party. Inaddition, the CCE 111 also provides the necessary information of thecall to both BE 112 and BE 113 so that the call data exchange canproceed directly between BE 112 and BE 113. The call signaling path 150and the call data path 151 are illustratively shown in FIG. 1. Note thatthe call signaling path and the call data path are different becauseonce a call has been setup up between two endpoints, the CCE 111 doesnot need to be in the data path for actual direct data exchange.

Note that a customer in location A using any endpoint device type withits associated access network type can communicate with another customerin location Z using any endpoint device type with its associated networktype as well. For instance, a customer at location A using IP customerendpoint device 144 with packet based access network 140 can callanother customer at location Z using TDM endpoint device 123 with PSTNaccess network 121. The BEs 112 and 113 are responsible for thenecessary signaling protocol translation, e.g., SS7 to and from SIP, andmedia format conversion, such as TDM voice format to and from IP basedpacket voice format.

Occasionally, in households with multiple phones on one extensionsharing the same phone number, one phone is in use when a new callarrives. The person using the phone is the only one in the household toreceive the call-waiting indication and view the calling party calleridentity (ID) information. The rest of the phones in the household thatare on-hook will remain inactive and will receive and display noincoming call alerts or caller ID information. Broadly defined, anon-hook phone is a phone that is not being used by a user and anoff-hook phone is a phone that is being used by a user.

To address this criticality, the present invention enables an alertmessage and the display of calling party identity on all on-hook phonesassociated with an extension sharing the same phone number, when onephone is off-hook and in use. This capability enables all other membersof a household to receive information regarding an incoming call evenwhen one phone is in use by another member.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of sending alerts to on-hook InternetProtocol (IP) phones in a packet-switched network, e.g., a VoIP network.In FIG. 2, IP phones 231, 232, and 233 share the same phone number, P1,and are all associated with the same phone number. IP phone 231 is inuse by a user and an ongoing call is connecting phone 222 and IP phone231 using the VoIP network 200 with media path 240 via LAN 250 withgateway/router 252, BE 212, and BE 213. Another user using phone 221makes a call to the aforementioned phone number using the called partyphone number P1. CCE 211 receives the call setup message 241 from phone221 via BE 213.

CCE 211 finds out that the called number is already in use and one ofthe phones, IP phone 231, is off-hook supporting an ongoing call. CCE211 finds out from the Application Server (AS) 214, using flow 242, thatthe subscriber of the called party phone number P1 has subscribed to theon-hook alert message to IP phone service feature and further finds outthe on-hook alert message to IP phone service feature has been enabledby the subscriber. Note that a subscriber can send a predefined DualTone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal to the network to enable ordisable the on-hook alert message to residential IP phone servicefeature anytime when the phone line is not in use. CCE 211 then providesthe normal call processing by sending the call waiting indication andthe caller ID information to IP phone 231 which is off-hook. Inaddition, CCE 211 also sends signaling messages to IP phones 232 and233, using flows 243 and 244 respectively, which are on-hook, so that analert message and the incoming caller ID information can be displayed onthese on-hook IP phones. Upon receiving the alert signaling message fromthe network, IP phones 232 and 233 displays the incoming call alertmessage and caller ID information to inform other users in the householdthe occurrence of such an incoming call. The alert message can be invarious formats including displaying a text message on the screen of theIP phones, activating a flashing light indicator, e.g., an LED on the IPphones or activating a beeping sound on the on-hook IP phones.

FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for sending alerts to on-hookInternet Protocol (IP) phones, e.g., by the CCE in a VoIP network.Method 300 starts in step 305 and proceeds to step 310.

In step 310, the method receives a call setup message to a called partyphone number with multiple IP phones associated with that same phonenumber. In step 320, the method checks if the number is already in usewith another calling party and one of the IP phones is off-hook. If thenumber is already in use with another calling party and one of the IPphones is off-hook, the method proceeds to step 330; otherwise, themethod proceeds to step 370. In step 330, the method checks if the phonenumber has subscribed to the on-hook alert message to IP phone servicefeature. If the phone number has subscribed to the on-hook alert messageto IP phone service feature, the method proceeds to step 340; otherwise,the method proceeds to step 370. In step 340, the method checks if theon-hook alert message to IP phone service feature has been enabled. Ifthe on-hook alert message to IP phone service feature is enabled, themethod proceeds to step 350; otherwise, the method proceeds to step 370.In step 350, the method sends the regular call waiting indication andthe caller ID information to the IP phone that is in use and off-hook.In step 360, the method sends signaling messages to all off-hook phoneshaving the same phone number to provide an alert message and the callerID of the incoming call. In step 370, the method provides regular callprocessing for the incoming call. The method ends in step 380.

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method for receiving alerts by anon-hook residential Internet Protocol (IP) phone. Method 400 starts instep 405 and proceeds to step 410.

In step 410, the method receives an on-hook alert message from thenetwork. In step 420, the method displays the incoming alert message andcaller ID on the on-hook IP phone. The method ends in step 430.

FIG. 5 depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computersuitable for use in performing the functions described herein. Asdepicted in FIG. 5, the system 500 comprises a processor element 502(e.g., a CPU), a memory 504, e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/orread only memory (ROM), an on-hook alert message module 505, and variousinput/output devices 506 (e.g., storage devices, including but notlimited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard disk drive or a compactdisk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, a display, a speechsynthesizer, an output port, and a user input device (such as akeyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)).

It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented insoftware and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., usingapplication specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purposecomputer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, thepresent on-hook alert message module or process 505 can be loaded intomemory 504 and executed by processor 502 to implement the functions asdiscussed above. As such, the present on-hook alert message process 505(including associated data structures) of the present invention can bestored on a computer readable medium or carrier, e.g., RAM memory,magnetic or optical drive or diskette and the like.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should beunderstood that they have been presented by way of example only, and notlimitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment shouldnot be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

1. A method for receiving an alert via a communication network,comprising: receiving a signaling message by at least one internetprotocol (IP) phone of a plurality of IP phones that is on-hook, if oneof said plurality of IP phones is off-hook, wherein said plurality of IPphones is all associated with a same phone number; and displaying saidsignaling message on said at least one IP phone that is on-hook.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises a Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP) network.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid same phone number has been registered to an on-hook alert messageservice for receiving said signaling message.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein said on-hook alert message service is enabled by a predefinedDual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal.
 5. The method of claim 3,wherein said on-hook alert message service is disabled by a predefinedDual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein said signaling message comprises: an incoming call alert; and acaller identity information.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein saidincoming call alert comprises at least one of: a text message, anaudible sound, a flashing light; and a vibration.
 8. A computer-readablemedium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the pluralityof instructions including instructions which, when executed by aprocessor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method forreceiving an alert via a communication network, comprising: receiving asignaling message by at least one internet protocol (IP) phone of aplurality of IP phones that is on-hook, if one of said plurality of IPphones is off-hook, wherein said plurality of IP phones is allassociated with a same phone number; and displaying said signalingmessage on said at least one IP phone that is on-hook.
 9. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said communication networkcomprises a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network.
 10. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said same phone number hasbeen registered to an on-hook alert message service for receiving saidsignaling message.
 11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, whereinsaid on-hook alert message service is enabled by a predefined Dual ToneMultiple Frequency (DTMF) signal.
 12. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 10, wherein said on-hook alert message service is disabled by apredefined Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal.
 13. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein said signaling messagecomprises: an incoming call alert; and a caller identity information.14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said incoming callalert comprises at least one of: a text message, an audible sound, aflashing light; and a vibration.
 15. A system for receiving an alert viaa communication network, comprising: means for receiving a signalingmessage by at least one Internet protocol (IP) phone of a plurality ofIP phones that is on-hook, if one of said plurality of IP phones isoff-hook, wherein said plurality of IP phones is all associated with asame phone number; and means for displaying said signaling message onsaid at least one IP phone that is on-hook.
 16. The system of claim 15,wherein said communication network comprises a Voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP) network.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein said samephone number has been registered to an on-hook alert message service forreceiving said signaling message.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinsaid on-hook alert message service is enabled by a first predefined DualTone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) signal; and wherein said on-hook alertmessage service is disabled by a second predefined Dual Tone MultipleFrequency (DTMF) signal.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein saidsignaling message comprises: an incoming call alert; and a calleridentity information.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein said incomingcall alert comprises at least one of: a text message, an audible sound,a flashing light; and a vibration.